Monday, August 30, 2010

"Having fun is one of the most powerful antidotes to stress you will ever find. Many studies show that laughter releases an instant flood of feel-good chemicals that boost the immune system and almost instantly reduces levels of stress hormones. A really good belly laugh can make cortisol drop by 39% and adrenalin by 70%, while the 'feel-good hormone,' endorphin, increases by 29%. It can even make growth hormones skyrocket by 87%! Laughter boosts your immune system by increasing immunity levels and disease-fighting cells.

Laughter increases flexibility of thought and is as effective as aerobic exercise in boosting body-mind health. According to research, laughing 100 to 200 times a day is equal to 10 minutes of rowing or jogging! Laughter quite literally dissolves distressing toxic emotions because you can't feel mad or sad when you laugh: endorphins are released making you feel so great and at peace that toxic thoughts can't get out of your brain fast enough.

Fun protects your heart, because when you laugh and enjoy yourself, your body releases chemicals that improve the function of blood vessels and increase blood flow protecting against heart attack. Fun reduces damaging stress chemicals quickly, which, if they hang around in your body for too long, will make you mentally and physically sick. Fun and laughter also increase your energy levels.Having fun through play and laughter rejuvenates the mind, body, and spirit and gets positive emotions flowing. Smile - this is the beginning of laughter. When you hear laughter, gravitate toward it and let it wash all over you.

God and science are both telling us that developing a playful point of view will enable us to live longer, happier, and healthier lives.

Sunday, August 22, 2010

As you cannot have a sweet and wholesome abode unless you admit the air and sunshine freely into your rooms, so a strong body and a bright, happy, or serene countenance can only result from the free admittance into the mind of thoughts of joy and goodwill and serenity.

...whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things.~~Philippians 4:8

There is no physician like cheerful thought for dissipating the ills of the body; there is no comforter to compare with goodwill for dispersing the shadows of grief and sorrow. To live continually in thoughts of illwill, cynicism, suspicion, and envy, is to be confined in a self-made prison-hole. But to think well of all, to be cheerful with all, to patiently learn to find the good in all - such unselfish thoughts are the very portals of heaven; and to dwell day by day in thoughts of peace toward every creature will bring abounding peace to their possessor.

On Monday, Caroline played soccer with her team. Halfway through the game, as she maneuvered the ball toward the goal, turning abruptly on ...

Happiness

If you want things to be different, perhaps the answer is to become different yourself. ~~Norman Vincent Peale

Travel Princess

Help me always to speak the truth quietly, to listen with an open mind when others speak, and to remember the peace that may be found in silence. ~~ Cherokee Prayer (thanks, Mike!)

Classic Literature Buff

Sailor Man

Animal Whisperer

"It's unfortunate - and I really wish I wouldn't have to say this - but I really like human beings who have suffered. They're kinder." ~~ Emma Thompson

Trafalgar Square

"If we can just let go and trust that things will work out the way they're supposed to, without trying to control the outcome, then we can begin to enjoy the moment more fully. The joy of the freedom it brings becomes more pleasurable than the experience itself." ~~ Goldie Hawn